Dennis Rowland

Biography

c.1950, Detroit, Michigan, USA. Growing up in a musical family, Rowland began singing as a child. Inevitably influenced by Motown Records, he also heard and greatly admired the singing of Joe Williams, whose hit record of Every Day I Have The Blues, with Count Basie, was popular in the mid-50s. Nurturing ambitions to be a singer and an actor, Rowland patiently developed his crafts and in 1977 was rewarded when he was engaged to sing with the Basie band. The engagement lasted until Basies death, in 1984. During this period he toured worldwide, describing these years as an awesome experience. I felt like a kid in a candy store. In 1980 he sang on the bands Grammy Award-winning On The Road.

After leaving the band, Rowland was able to spend more time with his other passion and acted in Jesus Christ Superstar, Big River, The Seven Deadly Sins, which also featured Cleo Laine, and, in the mid-90s, Blues In The...